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Scary and Windy Overnight Backpack Into Dismal Hollow

11/29/14

Breakfast is always the start of any hike for me. This particular Saturday morning found my brother Kelly and me at Dewayne's in Dover. This place has the best breakfast of any place in Arkansas in my opinion. After filling up we arrived at CR 303 off Hwy 16 in Newton County. At or near 10:00 we entered the shrubbery and fought our way through the hellish countryside. The day was quite sunny with wind that ripped at our garments. The plan for this hike was to follow the base of the bluff line on the north side and follow the top of the bluff line back. This was not to be. Not long after passing the falls it was realized that we had missed the way down and backtracking was our only hope. This choice was not taken. The top of the valley was traced to its terminus at the East Fork of the Little Buffalo and a suitable location was secured for bivouac. The wind was unrelenting but we would not be swayed from leaving the precipice campsite. Luckily the temp was in the upper 60's.

By nightfall all was set and food preparation was begun. A fire was started afterward and tested for perimeter flammability, for the wind was not our friend. The fire lasted till 10:00 and the hammocks called us inside. The wind did gust to around 20 mph through the night but the mild temperature kept things comfy. The low was only 59° and the morning skies were mostly cloudy. By 08:00 we began the hike back by heading up the hill to the north and skirting the pastoral landscape that trims this Ozark valley. By 9:30 the vehicle was in sight. No locals were encountered. The total hike totaled out at 5.5 miles.